Frank Schaeffer’s Road Trip • Episode 8 • Jared Golden

Before I introduce you to Jared Golden, I would like to take the opportunity to recap the year and say thank you. Like you, I am deeply concerned for our country, which is why I have traveled from sea to shining sea on my own nickel to meet with the dynamic new faces of the Democratic Party. First from my home in Massachusetts over to Wisconsin’s First District to meet with @IronStache himself, Iron Worker Randy Bryce. I then hopped down to North Carolina’s Fifth District to meet with school teacher and mother of 7 Jenny Marshall. Next I headed out to California’s 48th to sit down with Architect Laura Oatman, down to CA-49 to talk to Colonel Doug Applegate, up to CA-39 to meet former Obama Commerce Department appointee Sam Jammal, over to CA-45 to talk to legal counsel and civil rights advocate Kia Hamadanchy and back up to CA-25 to chat with the former Executive Director of the largest homeless services organization in the state of California, Katie Hill. While I was in California, I also got to have a fascinating conversation with the most interesting person I’ve met in years; legendary rock promoter, art collector, and political activist Howie Klein who, as president of Reprise Records, signed my favorite rock band Green Day.

The 8th episode of the Road Trip (and final episode of 2017) has brought me all the way back to Maine’s 2nd Congressional District to meet Marine Jared Golden. A native Mainer, Jared has lived there all his life, when he wasn’t overseas fighting for our country, that is, and his focus is to ensure that more opportunities can be created for the hard working citizens of Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.

Before I introduce you to Jared Golden, I would like to take the opportunity to recap the year and say thank you. Like you, I am deeply concerned for our country, which is why I have traveled from sea to shining sea on my own nickel to meet with the dynamic new faces of the Democratic Party. First from my home in Massachusetts over to Wisconsin's First District to meet with @IronStache himself, Iron Worker Randy Bryce. I then hopped down to North Carolina's Fifth District to meet with school teacher and mother of 7 Jenny Marshall. Next I headed out to California's 48th to sit down with Architect Laura Oatman, down to CA-49 to talk to Colonel Doug Applegate, up to CA-39 to meet former Obama Commerce Department appointee Sam Jammal, over to CA-45 to talk to legal counsel and civil rights advocate Kia Hamadanchy and back up to CA-25 to chat with the former Executive Director of the largest homeless services organization in the state of California, Katie Hill. While I was in California, I also got to have a fascinating conversation with the most interesting person I've met in years; legendary rock promoter, art collector, and political activist Howie Klein who, as president of Reprise Records, signed my favorite rock band Green Day.The 8th episode of the Road Trip (and final episode of 2017) has brought me all the way back to Maine's 2nd Congressional District to meet Marine Jared Golden. A native Mainer, Jared has lived there all his life, when he wasn't overseas fighting for our country, that is, and his focus is to ensure that more opportunities can be created for the hard working citizens of Maine's 2nd Congressional District.It has been an honor to take this Road Trip and meet these truly decent, patriotic Americans running for Congress and supporting progressive, inclusive causes, and we're just getting started. If you haven't yet, please take some time to watch the videos and get to know all of the candidates. If you would like to help me drive the Road Trip into 2018 so we can Take Back the House, please support my political video commentaries, blogging, and travel by donating to the George Bailey Morality in Public Life Fellowship!https://frankschaefferblog.com/donateWant to learn more about where we’re at and how we got here? Discover my new book "Letter to Lucy: A Manifesto of Creative Redemption—In the Age of Trump, Fascism and Lies," a multi-touch book about art, love and parenting, from the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the prophetic music of Green Day and everything in between, available now exclusively on iBooks.https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/letter-to-lucy/id1291078220?mt=11&at=1000lHij

It has been an honor to take this Road Trip and meet these truly decent, patriotic Americans running for Congress and supporting progressive, inclusive causes and we’re just getting started. If you haven’t yet, please take some time to watch the videos and get to know all of the candidates. If you would like to help me drive the Road Trip into 2018 so we can Take Back the House, please support my political video commentaries, blogging, and travel by donating to the George Bailey Morality in Public Life Fellowship!

WARNING ; To save a bit of time knowing full well they are on their way lets say it upfront for one an all to see

The character(s) posting under the moniker Gary Bryson is an internet troll complete with sock puppets etc pretending to be an alt right christofacist

Whereas the character posting under the moniker gdd is concerned … it ( seeing as how it refuses to divulge its gender either in moniker or conversation ) … is a pseudo intellectual communist wanna be hiding under the guise of liberation theology catholicism from what country God only knows .. who’s sole agenda is to create and foster division

So be it . My end of year duties have been fulfilled ..

So … though I will not be so deluded as to wish one and all a Happy New Year .. cause reality is that just aint gonna happen for none of us … so rather I’ll say

May 2018 at least be a damn sight better than the disaster known as 2017 was …

And may micro minority etc agendas be put aside for the greater good … before there is no greater good to be had

Notice: I don’t know who anyone who posts here is, other than myself. When I post, I post only in my own name. I don’t know how to create a “sock puppet”, so Martin’s charge is untrue and a product of his own perverted imagination. I don’t know if Martin is on drugs, or just naturally crazy. Whatever the cause of his delusions, I am not responsible for any posts except those that bear my name.

You know Brys**t .. I could take the time as Ms Abadie has to dig up the multiple comments and replies from your sock puppets … including such gems as ;

” … so what ? Lots of us use this computer ”

or

” Frank is giving our IP address away ”

etc ..et al .. ad nauseam … all of which prove that you are using sock puppets . I could waste the digital space reposting the multiple challenges I’ve laid down for a ( public ) face to face that you run from like a scared little child . And I could take the time to explain the myriad of other details and information that prove beyond a doubt that the moniker Gary Bryson is a troll .

But the fact is .. I don’t need to . Because it is obvious to all . And it has been for a very long time .

Because Brys**t … the fact is .. the rest of the world is not as stupid nor as gullible .. as you are

Nor are you one tenth as smart as you think you are .

So in conclusion…..

PUT UP OR SHUT UP !

Because I for one have had enough of wasting time and digital space on Brys**t’s Bulls**t .. false accusations .. blasphemy .. heresy .. hypocrisy … and blatant lies … ..

… when in realty this time and space could be better used for productive and informative conversation

Both of which are beyond the skill set of an internet troll ….. and its multiple alter ego sock puppets

: What I did not see then in New Haven and what I see now is that Trump is not an aberration—he is a culmination. He is the perfect embodiment of a culture, also bequeathed to us by previous generations, hallucinating off the opiates of entertainment and egotism. He is the natural outcome of a culture addicted to trivialities and its own narcissism. Addicted to the voyeurism of reality television, to devices and distractions, to the dumbing-down of thought and the amplifying of noise. Addicted to the dopamine hits from the slot machines in its phones. A culture that knows the price of everything and the cost of nothing. It wasn’t the Muslims or the migrants who did our culture in; it was the deification of stupidity and the worship of celebrity. Trump is but a mirror image of a culture in a spiritual coma. This year, the closing of the Western mind culminated in the inauguration of an internet troll into the presidency ”

Mr. Schaeffer,
Why don’t you comment on your own blog? Does this mean that the Trump card is going to work? Meaning it’s going to usher in the new Aeon of peace and prosperity? Jesus on a dinosaur!! They’ve got the talking heads on CNN right now threatening everyone with North Korea nuclear war. They need to get a life. Please answer me. If you come on here and comment we’ll get somewhere instead of all this arguing about who the trolls are. I don’t care if they want to believe in that the bleeding Jesus is going to save them. He’s not. If anything the opposite is true. I just want the kids to take control of the government and put the grand OLD party in check. Thank you for your impassioned efforts.
Tara

What does matter is whether or not your generation is willing to risk it all for the greater good and start voting … taking it to the streets etc . As we did in the 60’s 70’s

e.g. Balls in your court … we’ll help .. consult … advise … and even finance … but its your turn now .

In as far as the troll issue . Until the troll and its sock puppets either leave or are blocked … there will be no room here for productive and honest conversation regardless of the potential benefits etc

As far as Frank not commenting ? If it were my site I wouldn’t be either . The point being you lay your opinions down … and then leave the forum open for discussion without interjecting your input etc .

You’ve met an iron worker, an architect, a Commerce Department Appointee, a legal/civil rights advocate, a homeless services advocate, a political activist with specialization in arts and culture, and now Mr. Golden, a man whose vision seems to lie in employment opportunity.

Together, they present an extraordinary skill set relevant to the crises of manufacturing and production, collapsing infrastructure, poverty and finance, civil rights (including public education, medical care, legal representation, etc.), homelessness, unemployment and rights to access arts and culture.

A willing platform will address specific policy remedies to each crisis besetting our American society. The question is, ‘will we do that, OR is the strategy to repeat the “inclusive causes” campaign disaster of 2016.’

” Time to man up and get your ass up and vote and pull the lever for the dems…

And so we will need eight times the vote to overcome the Gerrymandered districts you see.. ”

Which is to say … grow up little one … get a grip on reality … put your pretense of political correctness aside … and bury your communist aspirations …and do what is RIGHT .. rather than what makes your self deluded sense of moral superiority and pseudo intellectualism … feel good … cause little one .. what makes you feel good … is dividing us .. leaving us wide open to a complete and utter taken over by a neo fascist right

And as for your back handed insults child … my challenge stands .. a public debate .. you and I … one on one .. media included ..

On Frank’s Nov. 13, ‘Too Much Religious Liberty’ post, you reply to me saying that ‘innocent till proven guilty only applies to the trial process.’

Not knowing the facts, I don’t declare Mr. Moore guilty or innocent of the accusations laid against him. But unless I much misunderstood, you impute guilt to Mr. Moore unhesitatingly, and you refused to hear any statement expressing reservation or anything other than condemnation for those accusations.

Among the sins forbidden by the ninth commandment, the Westminster Larger Catechism names, ‘stopping our ears against just defence.’ This means that the refusal to hear any just defense against Mr. Moore declares an exception to the Westminster Larger Catechism, Answer 145.

Moreover, you have repeatedly depicted Gary Bryson in demonic terms, thereby depriving him of any remnant of the excellent gifts received from God in creation — contrary to Article 14 of the Belgic Confession of Faith.

But I wonder – have you declared to the stated clerk of your church session your exception to church standards on these matters? And if you are a member of Presbytery, have you declared this exception to the Westminster standards? Or if your church membership is held not in a Presbyterian Church but in some continental Reformed church, have you declared your confessional exceptions to the stated clerk of your Consistory or Classis?

You declare yourself in submission to the Reformed faith, which means as defined and defended by the reformed confessions and by reformed ecclesial polity. As one trained in reformed church polity, is it your opinion that one can be reformed while refusing submission to reformed church polity?

Moreover, are those elders responsible for your spiritual oversight, direction and care aware of your online life and activities? Do they know that you insult the parentage of others, that you dehumanize others, that you have made thinly veiled threats against the security of other persons online? Are they aware of the rhetoric that you routinely employ against others? Are they aware that having been called repeatedly to make confession and seek forgiveness for these and other behaviors inflicted on Gary Bryson, you remain in steadfast in your rebellion and contumacy?

I have no interest in dealing with you, Mr. Martin. Put bluntly, you’re not my problem. But you are someone’s problem, although your church officers may not know it yet. Or perhaps they do. I don’t know, so again I can’t say. But if your profession of faith in Jesus Christ is to be in any way credible, you must make confession of your wrongdoing to Mr. Bryson and ask his forgiveness. You cannot continue your activities in obedience to Jesus Christ.

” Confess to wronging Gary Bryson and his family.
Ask his forgiveness ”

Again little one .. I do not apologize to internet trolls nor do I beg their forgiveness

Nor do I take religious or spiritual advice from a hypocritical heretical communist wanna be disguising itself under the banner of liberation theology catholicism pretending to be a Christian of any kind

In as far as ;

” I have no interest in dealing with you, Mr. Martin. Put bluntly, you’re not my problem ” (gdd)

Ironic aint it that you make such a claim when in fact you seem to be obsessed by my presence .. following my every move and comment .. taking umbrage by my replies to an internet troll who insults everyone and anyone etc ?

Hmmm .. got a little internal conflict going on there gdd ? Or as suspected are you also an internet troll who’s sole purpose is to sow division and discord ?

FYI ; The Guilt Trip tickets you’re trying in vain to sell ? Sorry … but I aint buyin .. so to put it in the vernacular … shove em where the sun never shines

In light of your holier than thou pretense , your delusions of moral superiority as well as your commands for repentance of others when in fact there is no repentance within you what so ever .

How is it that you’ve managed to avoid the single most important foundation of the Judeo/Christian faith … that being entire concept of ORIGINAL SIN in your overall epistemology , ideologies as well as theological zeitgeist ?

Ignorance is the state where an individual either does not have access to the information or … is incapable for a multitude of reasons of understanding / comprehending the information

whereas

Stupidity is the state whereupon the individual in question not only has full access to the information but is fully capable and in fact does comprehend / understand the information fully … but for one reason or another choses to ignore the information

I’m fifty one and disabled so taking it to the streets is not going to work for me. That’s exactly how I feel though. These machines have become pacifiers. With that said let’s not forget the National Defense Authorization/so called anti protest law. Thank all for your input. Best to you in ‘18.
Tara

Dissent and protest will be criminalized increasingly because no faction in the ruling class and neither major party is capable of fielding a serious policy response to any of the many crises facing the US, not the least of which includes health care and caring for our disabled.

Public anger is mounting and so is the frustration/fear of the ruling class. THAT is why you have repressive legislation, ubiquitous domestic surveillance, and an ongoing campaign to label ‘dissent’ as the result of foreign intervention.

Mass protests have no effective political import until the public is nearly ready to reject existing institutions of state. Until then, protests are useful for raising class consciousness about issues. And [of course] ‘law enforcement’ uses these events as rehearsals for more direct public repression.

The state knows that the whole working class is feeling rebellious and it is preparing to turn guns on its own people. This will not offset crisis; but it will bring into sharper relief the utter contempt of the ruling class for the 90%. And it will reveal to the masses the powers which are truly arrayed against the American public.

Thank you gdd. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that but obviously what goes up must come down. We showed our true colors after 911 didn’t we? The Burning Bush told us to go shopping and we did. Too bad there is no god that will save us from ourselves.

Don’t believe anything gdd posts nor fall for his/her rhetoric and blatant outright propaganda . Suffice it to say gdd’s sole intent is to sow dissent and division … which will accomplish nothing .. other than to hand the entire US over to the GOP and Christofascists lock stock and barrel

So says the communist wanna be pseudo intellectual hiding beneath the guise of liberation theology catholicism who’s sole intent is to sow division and dissent with pie in the sky promise and lies as old as Karl Marx himself … giving wonder to the question….

What exactly is your purpose for commenting here gdd ? To spread your lies and propaganda I presume ?

re:
“Dissent and protest will be criminalized increasingly because no faction in the ruling class and neither major party is capable of fielding a serious policy response to any of the many crises facing the US, not the least of which includes health care and caring for our disabled.

Public anger is mounting and so is the frustration/fear of the ruling class. THAT is why you have repressive legislation, ubiquitous domestic surveillance, and an ongoing campaign to label ‘dissent’ as the result of foreign intervention.

Mass protests have no effective political import until the public is nearly ready to reject existing institutions of state. Until then, protests are useful for raising class consciousness about issues. And [of course] ‘law enforcement’ uses these events as rehearsals for more direct public repression.

The state knows that the whole working class is feeling rebellious and it is preparing to turn guns on its own people. This will not offset crisis; but it will bring into sharper relief the utter contempt of the ruling class for the 90%. And it will reveal to the masses the powers which are truly arrayed against the American public ”
——
Back a single one of your claims and accusations steeped in communist rhetoric with verifiable and viable FACT . Just one !

I reply: I’ve said repeatedly that under Capitalist political economy, not one serious policy remedy to any major crisis is possible. Examples:

From Frank Schaeffer’s Dec. 27 post on Katie Hill Wednesday past:

I reply on Dec. 28 at 7:08 pm that ‘it is impossible to seriously address a single major social issue without breaking the political and economic stranglehold of the financial oligarchy over society.’

I reply to yours of Dec. 28, 11:07 pm:

‘Present a serious policy remedy for a solitary, major social issue under our political-economic system and you’ve got me. If you don’t like mine [above on this page], present a better plan!’

From Frank Schaeffer’s Dec 31 post on Jared Golden:

I reply [on this page] at 5:49/51 that a winning platform will address specific policy remedies to each crisis besetting our American society.
_______________________________

The statement I want to support:

Key to my political philosophy is the claim that bourgeoisie parties can offer no policy solution to a single major crisis. That is the position I elect to support.

I reply [on this page] at 8:13 pm that ‘no faction in the ruling class and neither major party is capable of fielding a serious policy response to any of the many crises facing the US…’

To that end, I offer the following …

‘…a WINNING platform will address that which is doable .. rather than that which will never be.’ TJ Martin, Jan 2, 9:23 pm.

And there, we agree. If you wish to reverse your position, if you want to shut me down, you need only post the serious policy remedy for any major social issue that is ‘doable’ under our for profit Capitalist political economic system.

… and once again you come forth with your vapid pseudo intellectual replies , cut & paste stupidity etc in the defense of a pathetic worn our communist agenda attempting to masquerade as liberation theology catholicism .. all of which contains exactly ZERO credibility , viability .. never mind less than zero historical validity in light of the fact that everything you propose has only proven to be detrimental in every case though out history

On the issue of your pretense of being anything so much as resembling a Christian of any kind .. one simple phrase flushes your entire argument down the the sewer in one single stroke

Original Sin ..

In as far as serious policy is concerned … what exactly can be considered serious about the ideologies your propose that only serve to divide .. leaving us open to be conquered … and again .. has proven itself historically to be an abject and abysmal failure ?

Suffice it to say the only SERIOUS policy is that which is reasonable and open to change .. slowly .. not pie in the sky delusional communism with now over a century of failure behind it

But in the spirit of fairness .. I’ll once again ay down the challenge you’ve yet to take up

NAME ONE SINGLE INSTANCE WHERE WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING HAS ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING OTHER THAN REPLACING THE ORIGINAL PROBLEMS WITH EVEN WORSE PROBLEMS THAN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO RESOLVE WITH CONSEQUENCES LASTING DECADES AFTERWARDS ?

Just one gdd ..

PUT UP OR SHUT UP !

FYI you might want to try READING your damn Bible before playing holier than thou with your platitudes and attitudes pretense of blessings

And again …. thanks for committing the sin of omission by aiding and abetting the election of Donald Trump along with a majority GOP congress and senate … with your sitting on your pretentious little **s thinking yourself somehow morally superior by doing so

PS; I’d say that the depth and breadth of your overall stupidity amazes me gdd … but the reality is in light of a reality tv star now being POTUS … a religious right minority running roughshod over the nation … an educated population who’s critical thinking skills have been placed on permanent hold .. etc …

… the reality is you’re just one more part of the Collective Stupidity of America .. not to mention more than likely a troll who’s sole purpose is to sow division and discontent

Post a serious policy solution to any of the major crises besetting the US and I’ll withdraw my charge that under our for-profit Capitalist system, no serious policy solution to any major crisis is possible.

” I’ve told you what to do.Post a serious policy solution to any of the major crises besetting the US and I’ll withdraw my charge that under our for-profit Capitalist system, no serious policy solution to any major crisis is possible”

Oh sorry gdd .. but in your vapid and inane pseudo intellectual little world did you miss out on the fact that according to the classic rules of argument and debate … it is your responsibility to respond to my initial challenge first … before laying down one of your own ?

Or alternatively .. is it that you have no answer to my challenge ?

Or is it simply the fact that you are the troll I assume you to be and are incapable of reposing to any challenge or conversation that goes beyond the script you seem to abide by verbatim ?

Welcome to the big leagues sparky .. where pseudo intellectual idiots such as yourself are mere cannon fodder for the likes of me .

In case the reality of my last comment has yet to of sunken in having flown over your pseudo intellectual little head like a bird up in the sky … or alternatively thru it like so much breeze thru a wiffle ball …

Before you go off on another of your pretentious holier than thou condemnations of my firebrand style of apologetics as well as my dealings with internet trolls such as this Brys**t character ..

.. might I suggest a little reading .. starting with Christ’s words in the original Aramaic of Matt 23:27 where He calls the hypocrites and pharisees white washed piles of s**t … not tombs ..

…. proceeding to the early church fathers recounting of Paul’s apologetics when dealing with the church as well as those pretending to be part of the church who was know for going off on tirades that could make a sailor blush ..

.. moving on to the apologetics of Augustine , Luther , Zwingli , Calvin , Van Til .. right up to Francis Schaeffer , Dr Walter Martin and all those in between .. all of whom have said much worse than I on many occasions

.. before even so much as attempting to criticize me .

And then gdd .. theres the issue of that hefty plank sticking out of your eye while trying to deal with the speck of dust in mine

And the men went into the family room and the Women went into the living room to sing karaoke and talk …the men to talk politics and watch youtube videos and music and such in my very connected house.

My pal believes that Adolph Hitler was an Avatar of sorts for humanity, would you kick him out of your house? Well, I just listen and don’t say to much as he is an expert in the History of that era and he could debate any living scholar on the issues of that time.

One of my other pals is flying his expensive little drone around the house as we discussed the art of Puddles and his clown suit doing covers of great ’60s music and the sham of our dear American music business and how nothing really great is produced anymore such as this great cover.

Nine,
You are always such a treat.
Hell no! I wouldn’t kick him out of my house. If the Avatar had gotten his way I wouldn’t be incarnated like I am right now in this nut hut backwards is forward and up is down reality. Then again girls just wanna have fun…
they just wanna, they just wanna…
I’m still being schooled, Nine. By the best in the business it appears. When I fly out of my meat suit on my dirt nap from this one I just hope I’m in a good mood. Maybe the new God could help me out with that. I’m jealous of your party but you know me. I’d have been miserable because I’d have wanted to be in the men’s room at least half of my stay. Sorry, no offense meant to the ladies but I self identify as having a brain that is half man.
Terrible T

Nine … buy your ‘ Hitler ‘ pal a few of the books John Lukacs has written on Hitler as well as the entire Nazi movement . Suffice it to say your pal is no match what so ever for the likes of John Lukacs and will find the Francis Schaefferian tin roof ripped off the top of his head with his ideologies and misguided beliefs crushed like so many aluminum beer cans by the hard weight of fact and truth .

Suffice it to say … every auto tuned note Pink has ever uttered … every inane lyric … every note of what is in reality vapid noise pretending to be music .. etc – et al – ad nauseam … is the polar opposite of anything so much as resembling art .

And my dear ,,, much as this reality may cause you pain … every single aspect of Pink from her appearance right down to the garbage she records and performs … is manufactured from start to finish … including her ‘ so called ‘ live shows .. which in reality are anything but ( they’re all pre-recorded )

Sigh … so is it any wonder in light of the revelations as to what you believe to be true about that pathetic little half wit Pink .. that you’re so ready and willing to accept any and every goddess myth and fantasy as well as immerse yourself into the psychotic depths of conspiracy theory ?

Why no … it is not … unfortunately .

So pity you dear Tara ? Pity is in fact too weak an expression of the grief one such as myself feels towards one such as you … as you plummet thru the depths of psychosis and paranoia rapidly approaching schizophrenia .

Schizophrenia … A destination I promise you you never want to end up in . As well as one I hope and pray by some miracle you might avoid

Easy, fellas. Point taken re The Floyd. After all they created Piper at the Gates of the Dawn. Still, please don’t disparage my girl Pink. I love her and she fights the mold of what is considered beautiful. I’d much rather my young niece, Lily, listen to her than the likes of Spears. Here this is art not some manufatured garbage:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K3GkSo3ujSY
Yours,
Terrible Tara

“Republicans changed the lock on heaven’s door
Keys to the kingdom don’t fil no more
The poor working man Iike me and you
If we ain’t got money we won ‘I get through
If there’s a God I think He’s got to bottle up and go
If there’s still a God in heaven He’s got to hit that lonesome road
No more Jesus, Mary and Joe
They done passed Heaven Bill 1070
Restricted signs everywhere you go
I think they want to bring back old Jim Crow
If there’s a God I think He’s got to bottle up and go
If there’s a God in heaven He’s got to hit that lonesome road
Angel Gabriel said it won’t be long
Republiklan is getting strong
Heaven folks are feeling bad
Lose everything we ever had
If you brown you can ‘t hang around If you black better step way back
If you’ re red you’ re better off dead
If you poor and white you just ain’t right
If there’s a God I think He’s got to bottle up and go
If there’s a God in heaven He’s got to hit th at lonesome road ”

Hell no Nine .As long as he aint no troll … Bring him on . Just give him fair warning that I won’t for a minute hesitate to tear his virtual head off intellectually if he does . And if he does … tell him I aint no Democrat either . I’m a dyed in the wool Independent .. with a capitol I .. that was smart enough to vote for the lesser of two evils ( Clinton ) rather than to allow the greater evil to prevail … as our resident communist gdd did .

But seriously before you do bring him on … buy him a couple of John Lukacs’s books on Hitler and Nazi Germany first

Real Estate though ? Suffice it to say if prices in your area are low … then your prices are more realistic to the reality of what the real estate market / banking etc situation really is … not effected by race etc . Whereas the prices in my neck o’ the woods ? Suffice it to say we’re deeply entrenched into a Potemkin Village scenario ( the site only allows one link so Wikipedia Potemkin Village if you’re not familiar with the term and its history )

—

As for buying Frank’s virtual book . I would .. but

1) I/we don’t do no online financial transactions ..

and

2) I hates reading anything of length on a screen .. preferring the page by a country mile

and

3) I don’t dig no virtuals . Having just finished Adam Gopnik’s most recent gem … half the pleasure when he referenced a piece of art … music … etc .. was looking it up . Same with Haruki Murakami and Seiji Ozawa’s ” Absolutely on Music ” Despite Murakami’s website having all the musical references available online … I preferred to access them on CD and then listen to them in the full glory of my audiophile /melomane system

And yeah .. that makes me a bit of an iconoclast in this age we’re in … buy hey … thats the way I plays it …

A quote from T Bone Burnett in defense of the above ;

” The technocrats — the digital tycoons, the iTopians — look down on artists. They have made all these tools and they think we should be grateful — subserviant even — and use their flimsy new tools happily to make them ever more powerful. But we can make art with any thing. We don’t need their tools. Music confounds the machines.

So the iTopians have controlled the medium and the message for a generation now. And they are making a complete hash of things. The clearest and most pervasive proof of this is the psychedelic political season we are in, which we can see playing out in every election around the world “